Framing square



Sept. 22, 1953 F. W. PRUCK ER, JR

FRAMING SQUARE Filed April 1, 1952 Fig.1

IN V EN TOR. Frederick W. Prue/fer, I]

Ail-or neys Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES A TENT OFFICE FRAMING SQUARE Frederick W. Prucker, Jr., Stafford Springs, Conn.

Application April 1, 1952, Serial No. 279,759

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to measuring instruments, and more particularly, has reference to an improved framing square for use by carpenters and other artisans in the construction of dwellings and other structures.

Framing squares are extensively used in building construction, but it has been noted that there are present, in the convention-ally formed framing square, certain undesirable characteristics that reduce its efiiciency and make its use more diflicult and time consuming. Conventionally, a framing square is of plane formation throughout, and as a result, when the square is applied to a structural member, it tends to turn and slide, unless held firmly in its proper position. Additionally, the conventionally formed square, though applied mainly to 2" x 4" and 2 x 3 lumber, is not adapted specifically to placement against stock of thi type.

Still further, although center marking is required regularly during the construction of dwellings and other structures, a conventionally designed square is not provided with means whereby the center of the structural member to be marked can be located readily.

The object of the present invention is to provide a generally improved framing square which will have none of the disadvantages noted above, and which will be so designed as to be applicable to a piece of lumber in such a way as to prevent the turning and sliding movement of the square; which will be specifically designed for application to the lumber sizes mostly used, as well as other lumber sizes; and which will be provided with means for marking the centers of said widely used pieces of lumber.

Another important object is to provide a framing square of the character referred to which, though efiiciently meeting the several desirable objects noted above, will yet be capable of manfacture at low cost, by reason of its adaptability for formation from either a single piece of molded plastic material, or from a plurality of fixedly connected, rectangular pieces of flat wood material.

Summarized briefly, the invention includes a pair of legs of different lengths respectively provided with graduations extending along their longitudinal edges, said legs being fixedly connected to one another in superposed, adjacent planes. Secured to the outer ends of the respective legs are extensions, the extension on each leg being in parallelism with the other leg and being coplanar with said other leg. The respective legs and extensions are all of rectangular, flat configuration, with the extensions being provided with a marginal series of graduations and having free end edges formed with marking notches disposed medially between the respective longitudinal edges thereof.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annex d rawing, in which like ref- 2 erence characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a framing square formed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an edge elevational view and Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

The framing square formed in accordance with the present invention includes a leg it) of elongated, fiat, rectangular configuration, said leg being hereinafter termed, for purposes of clarity, the bar or long leg of the square.

Extending from end to end of each of the respective longitudinal edges of the bar or long leg it are graduations i2, it, each series of graduations comprising conventional inch markings, which markings may be suitably subdivided as illustrated in Figure 1.

The framing square includes, further, a shorter leg or arm It, said leg also being of fiat, rectangular configuration and being provided with graduations I8, l5, extending along the respective longitudinal edges thereof.

The short leg or arm It is fixedly secured at one end to one end of the long leg or bar H], the legs l5 and 18 being extended at right angles to one another and being arranged in adjacent, superposed planes. In this connection, it is to be noted that one end edge of the short leg or arm It is disposed flush with one longitudinal edge of the long leg or bar Hi, one end edge of the long leg being flush with one longitudinal edge of the short leg. This construction is best shown in Figure 1.

Secured fixedly to the other end of the short leg or arm I 6 is an extension or plate 23, said extension being of fiat, rectangular shape and having an inner longitudinal edge marked with graduations 22, an outer longitudinal edge marked with graduations 2t, and a free end edge marked with graduations 26 and provided with a marking notch 28 located medially between the longitudinal edges of the extension or plate.

The extension or plate 20 is extended, as will be noted from Figure 1, in spaced parallelism with the long leg or bar It, and is coplanar with said long leg. Additionally, the extension or plate 20 has one end edge thereof arranged flush with the outer longitudinal edge of the short leg or arm [6, the outer longitudinal edge of the extension being flush with the adjacent end edge of the short leg I B.

Secured fixedly to the other end of the long leg or bar H] is a second extension or plate 38, which, like the extension or plate 20, is of flat, rectangular configuration. The extension 30, however, differs from the extension in that it is shorter and narrower than the extension 28, for a purpose to be made presently apparent.

The extension or plate 36 has one end edge disposed flush with the outer longitudinal edge of the long leg Or bar [0, and has an outer longitudinal edge marked with graduations 32 and arranged flush with the adjacent end edge of the long leg 89. The extension 38 is disposed in spaced, parallel relation to the short leg 16, and is coplanar with said short leg.

The inner longitudinal edge of the extension 38 is provided with graduations 34, and the free end edge or" the extension or plate is also graduated and is additionally provided with a centrally disposed marking notch As will be noted, the graduations 22 extending along the inner longitudinal edge of the extension 2 begin at the inner longitudinal edge of the short leg 5%, and extend a distance equal to the width of a conventional, dressed piece of 2" x i" lumber, said width being universally accepted as three and five-eighths inches. Similarly, the graduations 3 3 of the extension 36 extend from the inner longitudinal edge of the long leg l0, and extend over a distance equal to the accepted width of a conventional piece of 2 x 3 lumber. These two sizes of lumber are those used most often in the construction of an ordinary dwelling.

The extensions or plates 2%, 323 respectively are so proportioned, as to the distance between their longitudinal edges, as to equal the stated widths of 2" x 4: and 2" x 3" lumber, so that the outer end edges of each extension can be placed against the face of a selected piece of lumber, for the purpose of marking, with the aid of the notches 28, 3 5, the centers of studs and other structural members.

It is also to be noted that the graduations extending along the outer longitudinal edge of the short leg l6 continue onto the adjacent portions of the long leg is and extension 26, so that the outer longitudinal edge of the short leg can be used as a straight edge capable of being positioned against a piece of lumber for the purpose of making measurements and marking locations at which the lumber is to be cut.

The framing square formed in accordance with the present invention has certain important characteristics which are believed worthy of note herein. For example, the ofisetting of the legs iii, l6 relative to one another permits the legs to be engaged against the edges of selected pieces of lumber in such a manner as to prevent the square from turning or sliding thereupon. Still further, the offsetting of the respective extensions relative to the legs to which they are secured permits the use of the extensions themselves in engaging the edges of lumber pieces to prevent turning of the square when measurements are being marked off on their associated legs.

Still further, the proportioning of the extensions to the widths of pieces of lumber used most widely in building construction permits the square to be applied swiftly and with ease to said pieces, with the extensions being automatically positioned for the making of desired measurements thereon.

It will be understood that the framing square can, if desired, be molded or otherwise formed from a single piece of material, the design illustrated being such as to lend the square readily to mass manufacturing methods, thus to permit the square to be formed from a single piece of plastic material. Additionally, if it is desired that the square be formed of a number of fixedly connected pieces of fiat wood material, the design again lends itself t0 Simplicity Of '4 manufacture, since the square is composed entirely of readily fabricated, rectangular members fixedly joined to one another.

The leg or arm [6, it should be noted, should be a standard 1 inches in width throughout its length.

Further, although wood and plastic have been mentioned as materials from which the square could be readily made, the square could obviously be constructed of metal if desired.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited.-

Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A framing square comprising a flat bar having longitudinally spaced indices on one side face thereof, a flat arm carried by said bar on the face thereof remote from the indices, said arm extending laterally from the bar in perpendicular relation thereto, said arm having longitudinally spaced indices on the face thereof adjacent the bar, a plate carried by the face of the arm having the indices, said plate projecting laterally from the arm in spaced parallel relation to the bar and having a notch opening through the end thereof remote from the arm, a second plate carried by the face of the bar remote from the indices, said second plate extending laterally from the bar in spaced parallel relation to the arm, and said second plate having a notch opening through the end thereof remote from the bar said first plate being shorter than said bar and said second plate being shorter than said arm.

2. A framing square comprising a fiat bar having longitudinally spaced indices on one side face thereof, a fiat arm carried by said bar on the face thereof remote from the indices, said arm extending laterally from the bar in perpendicular relation thereto, said arm having longitudinally spaced indices on the face thereof adjacent the bar, a plate carried by the face of the arm having the indices, said plate projecting laterally from the arm in spaced parallel relation to the bar and having a notch opening through the end thereof remote from the arm, a second plate carried by the face of the bar remote from the indices, said second plate extending laterally from the bar in spaced parallel relation to the arm, and said second plate having a notch opening through the end thereof remote from the bar, said first plate being shorter than and of a width greater than said bar and said second plate being shorter than and of a width greater than said arm.

FREDERICK W. PRUCKER, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,139,229 Requa May 11, 1915 1,667,150 Griffith Apr, 24, 1928 2,026,274 Doyle Dec. 31, 1935 2,296,531 McQueen sure"--- Sept. 22, 1942 

